Happy Sunday! Here’s a little weekend waterview from Lake Norman.
We’ve enjoyed some beautiful spring weather the past couple of weeks.
With our warm 70 and 80 degree days, the azaleas and other spring flowering shrubs are bursting into bloom.
Our Snowball Viburnum by the lake has been beautiful this spring. . .
I was afraid after our cold snap several weeks ago (aka, third winter -> see graphic below) that the blooms would be frost-nipped but the warm water temperature provided some protection.
Snowball Viburnum flowers start out green and turn a snowy white in about a week’s time.
Along with our warmer temperatures and blooming trees and shrubs, comes “The Pollening”. . .
{insert *shudder* here}
*Achoo!*
The pollen has kept us indoors and reaching for the Zyrtec more than usual the past couple of weeks.
I had to laugh when ran across this graphic on Twitter of North Carolina’s 12 seasons.
Here’s my break down of the 12 seasons by days in NC:
Winter: 30 days
Fool’s Spring: 15 days
Second Winter: 15 days
Spring of Deception: 15 days
Third Winter: 15 days
The Pollening: 35 days
Spring: 25 days
Summer: 90 days
Hell’s Front Porch: 70 days
False Fall: 20 days
Second Summer: 25 days
Actual Fall (my favorite season: anywhere from 20 minutes to 10 days)
Bridal Wreath Spirea has been especially beautiful. . .
I took the above photo about 30 minutes after sunrise when the sun’s rays were highlighting the western shoreline in the background, giving everything a golden glow. . .
It looks like an autumn day rather than an April morning with the sun’s rays coloring the trees!
Note to self: Prune and shape the azaleas after the bloom. :)
Hope you’re enjoying some beautiful spring weather and surviving pollen season where you are!
Happy Sunday ♥
Thank you for your visit, sharing with:
Between Naps on the Porch
Very enjoyable post. Both of the rederings of your seasons were well worth a chuckle. I think that is the reason you get so much beautiful scenery throughout the year. I live in the Houston/Galveston area. We are still looking at reminders of the unusually hard winter we had and wondering what that means for the summer. More tropical storms and hurricanes??? We surely hope not. Thanks for sharing all of the picstures. I really enjoy your posts of nature (and the dogs, of course.)
I love all of your posts but the weekend waterview posts are very special. Although I live near the sea on the south coast of England I just loves lakes. Our weather is currently around 12 deg C during the day but cold at night so nothing much is flowering and it is way too soon to plant anything out. I’m trying to be patient.
VERY beautiful, stunning pictures. You are blessed to live in such a pretty spot and to appreciate and share the lovely sights.
Beautiful pictures, Mary! Just love azalea season. 💕
Your world is breathtaking ❤️
Thank you Mary for sharing stunning pictures of Lake Norman this time of year. One would swear that it is fall with the beautiful hues of orange, gold, and rust colors of the trees just after sunrise. The azaleas, viburnum and bridal wreath are spectacular!
We are in Michigan so are quite behind in the colorful spring blossoms, but always look forward to bursts of color.
Enjoy this beautiful day and may the pollen season be a short one!
Thank you again for posting pics of your beautiful setting. Nature at its best, ☀️
Thank you for sharing your world, <3 Beautiful place! Makes me look forward to moving closer to a lake. Living the lake life, in South Carolina…. neighbors soon ;)
The seasons here in N.C. are right on target. I love my Chinese snowball viburnums and the double file viburnums I have added to our property.So pretty and full this spring. We planted a new colorful redbud called flame thrower and two blueberry bushes for fruit and fall color. I think I am finally running out of room. Ever buy a plant and walk around looking for a place to plant it? of course you have,you are a gardener!😄
Wonderful photography and scenery – your posts are always so inspiring~
I have to agree with previous comments on your lovely photos and breath-taking beauty that surrounds you. I appreciate the beautiful flowers. I’m up in Michigan. The weather during this time of year vacillates between spring’s warmer temps and then drops below freezing. Never know from one day to the next. I will take pollen over freezing temperatures, snow and ice any day of the week. Looking forward to seeing the flowers bloom up here one day soon.
I also live in NC and the 12 seasons is sooo true 🤣🤣. Hoping the pollening ends soon! Beautiful pictures as always!
The last picture is so lovely l want to paint it! How beautiful!
Haha! Love your ‘seasons’ calendar. What a wonderful place you live in. I visited friends there once and was amazed by the beauty.
We received an inch of pollen last night…I guess it’s, no pain, no gain…everything is in bloom! franki
The Double Wedding Ring Quilt is beautiful. I’ve never seen one done quite that way… but it inspires me to try to replicate! Thanks for sharing.
I think this Spring has been extra beautiful this year, Mary, and your garden views certainly demonstrates that! Love your chart of crazy Southern weather, I can definitely relate to the Third Winter and Hell’s Front Porch…and yikes The Pollening has been fierce this year! I love the reflections you captured in the water, beautiful!
Jenna
Such beautiful photography!!
Gorgeous! Our azaleas here just started a full showing this week, and the pollening is just beginning. I always wait to clean my balcony right after. We were surprised that the recent frosts didn’t seem to affect the blooms other than the tulip magnolias. Those golden glow photos do look like fall! Love your weekend water views. Keep ’em coming, and have a great week.
Mary, thanks so much for sharing the beauty you enjoy!
Mary, Your yard is beautiful! Your viburnum and bridal spirea are gorgeous! The sunrise shot is amazing as it does fool you into thinking it’s fall. Your azalea bushes are so pretty. Ours are in full bloom as well. Azaleas always lend so much early color to the yard. We have 12 seasons too. We’re between 3rd winter and pollening. Zyrtec is my best friend right now. Lol Enjoy your day sweet friend. Clara ❤️
Every thing you do is simply amazing, so happy spring has finally decided to stay, we have three days of temperatures below 26 and snow is predicted. But what spring we have had has been lovely.
Love your seasons!
Such beautiful pictures. Sorry about the pollen, though.
Mary, it seems to be beautiful any season at your lakeside abode. I know of Pollening season. We have been in it for weeks! The trees rain green, I sweep and sweep, but it keeps on coming down. I’m tempted to try a snowball viburnum in our new courtyard. Will discuss with our landscape architect. Enjoy your beautiful weather on the lake.
Hello Mary… What a beautiful weekend it is at your lovely lake. Thank you for such beautiful pictures! And I giggled at how many seasons you have.
Enjoy the rest of your day my friend.
Beautiful pics! AWESOME!! We’re still waiting…I have buds on my lilac bush but supposed to get a couple nights into the 30s like 32-36..I haven’t had a big blooming bush for several years..they keep getting frost bit…I was going to ask when and how much you trim your bushes? I don’t have a snowball but I want one…BTW: fingers crossed…we found a poodle breeder and have our name on the list for a miniature little girl…the litter is due in a couple weeks…and we can’t have it for 8 weeks….us and probably 50 others are on the list! I guess if it is meant to be, it will happen…it’s been 10 years since our little dog passed … we are hopeful though!!! 💝🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🙏🏻
Hi Ellen, You want to do any pruning or shaping right after your viburnum blooms as it blooms on old wood. We only prune one shrub by the lake to be able to walk by it. There’s a good article on pruning here: https://www.gardenguides.com/80290-prune-snowball-viburnum.html Keeping my fingers crossed on a puppy for you, how exciting! ♥
Love your days on the annual calendar. I live in Alabama and our weather is pretty much like yours!
Had to laugh about our seasons!! Your blooms are spectacular!! My snowball viburnums are only about 3 feet high but are drooping with lots of blooms!!
Can’t believe how magnificent the trees look on the banks of the lake and their reflection. Can’t imagine starting your day with that glorious sight!! What a fall preview!!
Hope you had a great weekend!!
Its all so pretty, I adore white in the garden! my bridal wreaths are in their glory too and for the first time in 3 years I’m seeing snowballs, the deer kept them nubs, I protected them this year and thrilled to see them come alive! It all looks lush and refreshing whatever real or faux season you are enjoying 🙃
What a beautiful tapestry of spring by your awesome lake! Mary, every picture is a delight to study. Love all of your flowering shrubs. My tulip tree is just now starting to bud, and my daffodils are my pure delight. Can’t wait for the rest of our shrubbery to pop, praying we don’t get a hard frost. Your seasonal lineup cracked me up! Happy Spring! 🌸🌾🌼
I had to laugh at your 12 seasons by days, Mary! Your photos are so colorful. The shoreline really did look like a Fall day with the sun shining on the trees. It looks like you had a colorful weekend.
It’s that beautiful time of the year when the flowers are in bloom and the weather is perfect. And then the pollen unleashes its fury! I think everyone can relate to the photo of the pollen washing up on your shoreline! I’ve washed our patio furniture so many times this spring I’ve lost count.
What a beautiful spot on earth you have found to enjoy the days! Thank you for sharing all the loveliness of your area!
EVER SO LOVELY!!! I believe this spring has been exceptionally lovely! What a gift we have been blessed with to also live on the shores of LKN. Your yard is awe-inspiring! Thank you for sharing your talents. :)